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DotMac4
Shill H8r
Premium
join:2007-10-26
Huntington Beach, CA
reply to kalphearion
Re: Just another...

More like a just another salesman who scammed an unsuspecting plan buyer.


mlerner
Premium
join:2000-11-25
Nepean, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico

The rep may not have said anything (as is typical for Bell) but it is clearly listed on the site for mobile browsing only, additionally I believe it's in the fine print as well. The thing is, never fully trust a salesman without reading everything in writing first.


DotMac4
Shill H8r
Premium
join:2007-10-26
Huntington Beach, CA


4 edits
I've had both Cingular and Verizon wireless salemen flat out lie about their plans. We also saw a few weeks ago »Verizon's Dubious Math Skills the story about 50 or so calls to Verizon inquiring about per Kb charges with about 95% of the answers given by Verizon's agents being wrong. Then when wrong the real price was often 1000X the price quoted by the misinformed agent. It would mean the difference between a quoted $85 bill and an $85,000 bill.

Even with fine print, the way it's worded is often confusing. "Mobile browsing" is vague and to some people could be anything mobile including a laptop tethered to the phone.

I wonder how the actual terms of service are worded. If it's worded Mobile Browsing without specifically defining mobile browsing as through the phone's web client I could see how it could be confusing even to someone who read the 4 pt font of the contract.


en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME

I tend to agree... there's a HUGE amount of legal paperwork to protect the carrier (TOS/AUP), and a very quick process to get you signed up/out the door.
When I wanted to 'tether' my Samsung ZX-20, AT&T wanted to put me on a MEdia plan. Since I know better, I asked her if she's _really_ sure about that, and it was the plan I should be on for using my phone as a modem. She came back and set it up as a laptop connect plan.

Many people do not know what they're getting, and many sales people do not know what they're selling. There should be some sort of 'cap' or 'warning' when these huge bills come out. $85,000 is probably more than his gross annual salary. If I went to a bank and asked for a loan to burn through $85k what do you think they would say ? The bill by the kB has to have some sort of sanity check.
--
Canada = Hollywood North


shaner
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB


3 edits
reply to DotMac4
In order to tether his his KRZR to his computer and use it as a modem, he must download an application from Bell called Mobile Connect.

Here is the link for Mobile Connect.

»www.businessonthego1.com/english···l_mc.asp

Notice that you cannot download the program without the legal stuff popping up.

And here's the important part:

"Note to subscribers of Bell Mobility's Unlimited Mobile BrowserTM: in tethering your Bell Mobility handheld device to your PC or other device, data transmission does NOT occur through the Unlimited Mobile Browser. You will be charged for data transport usage in addition to the monthly charge for the browser.

Examples of data transport charges using a rate of $12 per megabyte: send an email = $0.15; download a web page = $4.50; download a song = $123.00. Note that these examples do not include all data transmission associated with these activities, which can vary depending on user activity, software application behaviour, communications protocol and network conditions.

We encourage you to minimize these charges by subscribing to an appropriate data plan. Visit »www.businessonthego1.com/english···cing.asp or call 1 866 235-5249 (1 866 BELL-BIZ) to subscribe. Be sure to check the data usage counter on your screen to keep track of your data usage.

By clicking "I accept" below you acknowledge that you are over the age of eighteen years and are liable for and agree to pay these charges for data transport services."


DotMac4
Shill H8r
Premium
join:2007-10-26
Huntington Beach, CA
If that's the case (about the contract being in bold, plus the click through notice on the installer) he should pay the $3700 and be happy about it.


Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium
join:2004-01-06
Sweden
·Verizon FIOS
·Optimum Online

reply to DotMac4
said by DotMac4 See Profile :

More like a just another salesman who scammed an unsuspecting plan buyer.
So frigging true.... This guy should have read the contract, but $85,000 is outrageous...

-Tzale
--
Hello Verizon FIOS 12.03.07!
457,000,000 miles of fiber optics placed and counting!
~THANK YOU MY ANONYMOUS FRIEND~


en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
reply to DotMac4
I agree,


djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·PHONE POWER
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable

reply to Tzale
Even the "goodwill" $3700 is outrageous. They offer the "real" unlimited service for $75 per month. That should be the maximum "fine" for improper use.

Its downright criminal for big companies to demand such extoirtionate amounts from people when they are clearly able to provide the said service for a fair price.

sven_kirk3

join:2002-07-23
Mableton, GA
reply to DotMac4
customer trying to scam the system. He was caught trying to cheat the system by not buy a laptop card. He is getting what he deserves. There is NOTHING free in the world.


whizkid3
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-21
Queens, NY
·Earthlink Cable Mo..

reply to djrobx
Its outrageous, its highway robbery, and its wrong. The only one 'ripping anyone off', are the telephone companies. It smacks of Standard Oil tactics. Control the monopoly, and then rape the public with your pricing. (While technically its not a monopoly, it is once you get any one of the carriers' telephones. Its certainly not market based pricing.)

When you 'steal' (or lose) a DVD from a rental company, the most they will charge you is the price of the movie, or maybe a little more. When you 'steal' (or lose) a book from the library, the most they will charge you is the price of the book, or maybe a little more. Here they are charging you thousands of times the cost, and hundreds of times the monthly rate if you had a service plan; all for being unknowledgeable. djrobx has it right:

said by djrobx See Profile :

Even the "goodwill" $3700 is outrageous. They offer the "real" unlimited service for $75 per month. That should be the maximum "fine" for improper use. Its downright criminal for big companies to demand such extoirtionate amounts from people when they are clearly able to provide the said service for a fair price.


m3rl1n

@arbor.net

reply to DotMac4
Having worked as a salesman in the cellular industry....... this is sadly the most likely case. People should read the fine print of their entire contracts, but realistically, this is just not the case. They depend on the sales people for guidance, and there are far too many unscrupulous sales people. Then, the company adds to consumer confusion by calling it an unlimited data plan for $10. The internet is data transfer by definition, isn't it? If I was this person, I would take it to court claiming false advertising. win or lose, he will be creating precedence for future cases against these unscrupulous companies.

AJICQ499087

join:2001-12-01
Louisville, KY

reply to en102
You need to read the fine print. If you don't understand what the contract is saying ask questions and have the answers in simple English written into the contract. If the provider is not willing to write into the contract what is needed for you to understand what you plan to sign, then don't sign the contract. You should go shopping some place else!
--
low cost and fast speed is what customers want in broadband


CConverse

join:2006-01-31
Syracuse, NY

said by AJICQ499087 See Profile :

If the provider is not willing to write into the contract what is needed for you to understand what you plan to sign, then don't sign the contract. You should go shopping some place else!
Except that some place else usually isn't any better. Is there any way to truly quantify the lesser of two (or more) evils?


Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium
join:2004-01-06
Sweden
·Verizon FIOS
·Optimum Online

reply to djrobx
said by djrobx See Profile :

Even the "goodwill" $3700 is outrageous. They offer the "real" unlimited service for $75 per month. That should be the maximum "fine" for improper use.

Its downright criminal for big companies to demand such extoirtionate amounts from people when they are clearly able to provide the said service for a fair price.

exactly
--
Hello Verizon FIOS 12.03.07!
457,000,000 miles of fiber optics placed and counting!
~THANK YOU MY ANONYMOUS FRIEND~
Forums » The $85,000 Phone Bill


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